Tokyo tightens security for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's funeral
(Baonghean.vn) - According to Reuters, the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on September 27 is receiving much attention, in the context of local authorities trying to avoid repeating the security mistakes pointed out in the assassination of Mr. Abe in July.
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People lay flowers next to a portrait of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo. Photo: Reuters |
Mr Abe was shot at close range by a man with a homemade gun as he gave a campaign speech in the western city of Nara, shocking a country where violent crime is rare and where dignitaries typically travel with modest protection.
Japanese authorities, including Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, have acknowledged that security failures played a role in Abe’s assassination. And with so many important guests from abroad attending the funeral at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, such problems should not have been allowed to occur.
It is known that the security plans include:
- Close roads around the national funeral site from 2:00 p.m. on September 27, and restrict airspace within a 46 km radius from the site from September 26 to 28.
- From 10am on 27 September, the public will place flowers at designated locations near the funeral site. Their luggage will be checked and some people may have to go through metal detectors.
- Japan is implementing maximum security, with tens of thousands of police officers, including about 2,500 people, being sent from many places to strengthen security in Tokyo. Officers and sniffer dogs have also increased anti-terrorism patrols at Tokyo's main train stations and Haneda Airport in recent days.
- Police are patrolling highways for suspicious items, and checking around embassies and hotels where international visitors will be staying.
- About 700 foreign guests will fly to Japan to attend the state funeral, including about 50 current or former leaders of countries.
- VIP guests included US Vice President Kamala Harris, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and European Council President Charles Michel. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau canceled his plans to attend Mr. Abe's state funeral to focus on responding to the typhoon.
- More than 1,000 Japanese military personnel will be deployed at the funeral, which is expected to attract 4,300 guests. An honor guard will fire a 19-gun salute to bid farewell to Mr. Abe, and a military orchestra will perform.
- The Japanese government plans to spend 1.65 billion yen ($11.5 million) on the state funeral, including 800 million yen for security and 600 million yen to receive foreign delegations.
